Fitness guru explains why she parks in disabled spot

GOLD Coast fitness guru Ashy Bines has admitted to regularly parking in a disabled parking space outside her Mermaid Beach gym, attempting to justify the move because "we have no members with any disabilities".

Ms Bines was caught out when she uploaded a video to her YouTube channel on the weekend. The footage showed her parking her white Range Rover in a disabled space at Pacific Square on the Gold Coast Highway at Miami Beach.

The video drew scathing criticism from her fans.

The 28-minute video, titled "Ashy Bines Vlog Father's Day, Shez Comes To Play, Thai Orgy", has since been heavily edited and the parking footage has been deleted.

In response to the condemnation for using a space reserved for drivers possessing a disability parking permit, Ms Bines attempted to justify her actions in a Snapchat post.

She said she never meant to offend or upset anyone but claiming there was a reason behind her using that parking space.

"When no one's used that car park for three years and we have no members with any disabilities, then I do use that car park sometimes," she said.

"They are there 24/7 … yeah, sometimes I do use it.

"I know that it does look bad in some way but I hope you guys can hear my side of the story.

"Sometimes I do use it and I do apologise if I have offended anyone, but I wanted my loyal followers to see my side. There's always that 5 per cent to comment, judge criticise and jump down my throat at everything."

When contacted by The Courier-Mail today she was remorseful and a spokesman for Ms Bines said she took responsibility for her actions.

"Ashy is the first to acknowledge when she has made a mistake. She is truly remorseful for her actions and devastated that she has offended and let down others," the spokesman said.

"Taking full responsibility, Ashy assures it will not happen again."

The 28-minute video depicting her indiscretion was pulled down from online on Monday and replaced today with an 18-minute version, minus the parking footage.

Emma Grubb, who was once a fan of Ms Bines, said she was gobsmacked by the fitness queen's first response.

"She had a GoPro or something similar in her car and it showed her parking in a disabled car park and after people commented on it she deleted it, saying it had sound issues but it didn't," Ms Grubb said.

"It was reloaded without the parking incident. We are not stupid, and a lot of people commented on it and said 'why can't she be upfront?'."

Another follower, Stef (last name withheld), said Ms Bines should have taken responsibility straight away for her actions.

She said Ms Bines merely brushed off criticism about parking in a disabled space despite the shopping centre, where her gym is located, being next to a physiotherapy practice.

"Part of her response was, and I'll paraphrase it, 'no one with a disability goes to my gym so why does it matter if I park there?'," Stef said.

"The shop next door to her gym is Back in Motion Mermaid Beach ... and there are several other shops in the close proximity of her gym."

After the video was edited and re-posted, a follower posted a still image of a Range Rover, believed to be Ms Bines', parked in a disabled spot outside her gym at the Mermaid Beach shopping centre.

A contrite Ms Bines posted a video on Snapchat today saying she had received death threats and people wishing she had been hit by a bus.

"I have woken up to comments which say they hope the headline news is that they hope I have been hit by a bus or my head has been smashed in by a gold club … they also involve my son or hoping something happens to him. It's gone too far," she said.